Just another Rhasta guide for dota players

Rhasta, the Shadow Shaman

 

Yes, my first choice when play Dota, my favourite role is supporter and join the most combat as I can, Rhasta can satisfy with his perfect set of skill. I base on many other guides and my own experience as well, thank you !

I. Story/Stats/Skills/Pros and Playing style

II. Builds
III. Early Game Strategy
IV. Mid Game Strategy
V. Late Game Strategy
VI. Good Allies and Bad Enemies
VII. Combat
VIII. Last Word

I. Story/Stats/Skills/Pros

1. Story

Once a gifted troll witch doctor, young Rhasta was well versed with the secrets of voodoo magic. When the war between the Sentinel and the Scourge began, Rhasta, then a Shadow Hunter, offered his allegiance to the Sentinels to vanquish the Scourge once and for all. While he was gifted as a witch doctor, Rhasta is a genius as a shadow hunter, exceeding his master by mastering the art of summoning multiple serpent wards, binding enemies for a short time and casting elemental lightning to several units.

2. Stats

Str: 19 + 1.6
Agi: 16 + 1.6
Int: 21 + 3 (Primary Attribute)

 

Affiliation: Neutral

Attack Animation: 0.3 / 0.5
Damage: 42 - 49
Casting Animation: 0.3 / 1.07
Armor: 1.3
Base Attack Time: 1.7
Movespeed: 285
Missile Speed: 900
Attack Range: 500
Sight Range: 1800 / 800 

3. Skills

Ether Shock
Mana Cost: 95/105/135/160
Cooldown: 10 secs
Casting Range: 600
AoE: 200
Duration: N/A
Allowed Targets: Enemy Units
Effects: 75/150/225/300 damage to 3/4/6/7 targets

The only spell that Rhasta can nuke out. Also, used for harassing and getting last hits. Important skill, sometimes used early game to get extra gold coins with creep kills.

Voodoo

Mana Cost: 110/140/170/200
Cooldown: 13 secs
Casting Range: 500
AoE: N/A
Duration: 1.25/2/2.75/3.5 secs
Allowed Targets: Enemy Units
Effects: Turns enemy into critter

Rhasta's hexing skill. Sometimes used with Ether Shock to add potential in it's effect, making use of the time. Also, useful on fleeing enemies.


Shackles
Mana Cost: 110/135/155/185
Cooldown: 16 secs
Casting Range: 400
AoE: N/A
Duration: 2.5/3.25/4/4.75 secs
Allowed Targets: Enemy Units
Effects: Disables the target, dealing 40 damage per second

Rhasta's best disabling spell (In my opinion). In team battles, Shackles help out alot. Bind your enemies by a few seconds and their done for. Also, a few seconds are alot quite alot of pain if your allies are DPS (damage per second) heroes.


Mass Serpent Wards
Mana Cost: 200/350/600
Cooldown: 110
Casting Range: 550
AoE: N/A
Duration: 45 secs
Allowed Targets: N/A
Effects: Summons 8 Serpent Wards, which have 39-43(53-59 *)/54-58(74-79 *)/69-73(94-100 *) damage

* Can be improved by Aghanim's Scepter

Rhasta's Ultimate. Really makes up for it with 8 Serpent Wards. Although they can't move, they can help you to escape if you're in danger, help your teammates, or trap enemy heroes in them! And combined with disables, game over?

Note: Aghanim's Scepter no longer increases the Ward-count. Instead, the damage is increased.

4. Pros and Cons
Pros:
[+] One of the best disablers in the game
[+] Can singlehandedly turn the tides of a battle
[+] Not really item dependant

Cons:
[+] Very fragile
[+] Slow movespeed
[+] Mostly the #1 target in team battles

 5. Playing Style:

Supporter: aid your teammates as much as possible. Maximize the advantage of Voodoo - Shackles to help the carrier get some kills or stay alive.

Ganker: yeah, rhasta can roaming to put pressure on the enemy. His set of skills is so powerful, the combos should be Shackles > (Shift) Voodoo > Ether Shock or Mass Serpent Wards > Shackles (let your snakes focus on the hero) > (Shift) Voodoo > Ether Shock. Only few can survive in the early if you stay calm and do this correctly. Some just raise skill 1 + 3 in the early, it's up to you and your style, however I still pick 1 level of Voodoo for some escapable hero like AM, queen, etc.

Pusher: Ultimate of Rhasta can show real damage to the towers if you are not pay attention to him. With just a wave of creep, use Ether Shock for fast killing enemy creep and lv 6 ultimate can take down the tower in no time. (However, I do not suggest this as Serpent Wards is much more useful for getting 1 or more enemy hero killed)

II. Builds

~Back to Guide's Index

1. Skill Build
"The supporter build" :So your main skills are Voodoo and Ether Shock, use it and let your carrier have some score. Ultimate at the right level, no comment.

1. Shackles
2. Voodoo
3. Shackles
4. Voodoo
5. Shackles
6. Mass Serpent Wards
7. Shackles
8. Voodoo
9. Voodoo
10. Ether Shock
11. Mass Serpent Wards
12. Ether Shock
13. Ether Shock
14. Ether Shock
15. Attribute Bonus
16. Mass Serpent Wards
17 - 25. Attribute Bonus

"The ganker build": yeah you will roam all the map, put down the ward if needed, Shackles enemy and finish with Ether Shock, therefore Ether Shock is maxed first and then Shackles.

1. Shackles

2. Ether Shock
3. Ether Shock
4. Shackles
5. Ether Shock
6. Mass Serpent Wards
7. Ether Shock
8. Shackles
9. Shackles
10. Voodoo
11. Mass Serpent Wards
12. Voodoo
13. Voodoo
14. Voodoo
15. Attribute Bonus
16. Mass Serpent Wards
17 - 25. Attribute Bonus


2. Items:

Starting items:

And spend all the rest on all stats items

Core:

and

Rhasta just need these above for shining in battle. Eul's Scepter of Divinity can help you place serpent ward easier or even keep the enemy in place waiting for your teammate. Spend your gold for Observer Wards, its help stay useful through all the game. For some guides of warding, see Guide to warding

Luxury items:

   

Of course this is the dream buil, however becareful, if you have this kind items early but your carrier stay the same with no core, it just means you haven't done your job of aiding and assist your carrier, you still can lose.

Other items:

: use this if you can control the runes well

: I use this items so often since it appeared. Many values: escaping; get in battle easier; help your teammate chase, kill, stay alive, etc

: Get this if you ganks well, its help undeniable however, its price and being unusable when hit is also need to be considered.

III. Early Game Strategy (From Playdota.com)

Early game, soloing mid lane is Rhasta's purpose. Or bot for Sentinel, top for Scourge. I can see why if you're in need of money or extra exp. Also, never skill any of Rhasta's skills first, because you won't know what you're facing. If you're facing no enemy, I suggest picking Ether Shock instead. Since you're going for last hits/denies with no one to disrupt you, I don't see why not.

If you get Ironwood Branches first, I suggest getting Healing Slaves over Tangoes. Why? Rhasta's low health early game will be a disruptance. Or, if you need another, I suggest buying extra Tangoes.

IV. Mid Game Strategy

Mid game for Rhasta mostly is to join in between and fro of team battles. With disables going around, the enemy will hardly touch you, but you'll evenly touch your enemy. Also, maybe during this time, your enemy will try to do means to take you down. You're probably the #1 target in team battles. It may be an honour to be the prority target, but nevertheless, you must becareful even if you're ganking quite well.

They say, if you want to kill an enemy around mid game, hide in the trees, surprise your enemy. Start by the same combo, then once your Warding cooldowns, rinse and repeat.

V. Late Game Strategy


More or less, your item build should be ready by now. You don't have to really matter much if you're going up against another hero. I know the nerf about the Mass Serpent Wards, to a higher cooldown. If you're just finished with Mass Serpent Wards, keep farming. You just need to waste time before you can reuse Mass Serpent Wards again. Or, you can use Refresher Orb.

Late game here, you must be precise with Rhasta. Alot of advantage will be taken, so I suggest trying to stay with teammates at all times. If enemy is on your lane, never alert them. Instead, call for allies and deal with them together.

VI. Good Allies and Bad Enemies

I'll go through some popular allies that'll help you out.

1. Good Allies

Stunners/Trappers/Supporting Spellcasters



Basically, supporting spellcasters and other stunners/trappers are well hooked for you. They can help you to get the enemies while you ward trap and finish them off.

Chasers



These heroes can finish the enemy off if they live and escape. So help to disable them so they can go for the kill.

2. Bad Enemies

Their so bad if you mix with them...



I wouldn't mess with them if I were you.

Extra heroes that could beat you down.

 VII: Combat

When killing enemy heroes without Ward-Trap:

When you're going to kill enemy heroes without Ward-Trap, you may need another ally, to help you. Why? Even with Ether Shock, Shackles and Voodooing, some time the enemy is still able to get away, a few hp before it is pwned. So I suggest to bring another ally. While you disable him with Voodoo and Shackles, your ally will take him out. If he escapes, use your nuke, Ether Shock to get the last damage.

Heroes to becareful when Ward-Trapping:

Nessaj (Chaos Knight): Can make images with Phtantasm, allow him to escape from the Ward-Trap. I suggest getting your Nercomancers to slow him down, making him lose mana faster.

Slithice (Naga Siren): Same as Nessaj, Slithice will escape your Ward-Trap, slow you with traps and finish you off. Another idea would be to Voodoo, then Ward-Trap and Shackles as soon as she becomes back to her former self.

Mangix (Pandaren Brewmaster): Able to split into 3 of itself, also escaping from the trapping. Once free, he can use his 2 other split self to attack you. I suggest you to Ward-Trap him, then Shackles. Once Shackles dies out, Voodoo after. This can make him trapped in much longer, and lose health quickly.

Terrorblade (Soul Keeper): Able to make images. Among the other 3, Terrorblade is different. After confusing you, he will steal life from you, while the image beat the hell out of you. I suggest using Eul's Scepter, if can, and also Ether Shock if he manages to image out. If he escapes, Shackle him, then Voodoo before hitting him down.

If you have Serpent Wards:

Try to place it under your enemy hero, it is not easy 'cause they aren't stay in the place so you have to guess the position he will move to and place Serpent Ward just before he gots there. It will be more safe if you use, Cyclone him, place at the shadow on the ground and enjoy the felling see him try to escape. Shackles if needed.

Here is an example of placing Ultimate nicely:

VIII: Last Word

Thank you for read my guide. And I just wanna share some experience when play rhasta and my guide is full of information collected on the websites.

Thanks to GhostofGuns, playdota.com, etc....